Cursed Dragon
''"Not even these stray wyrms are free from the pestilence of this accursed place. I've seen that putrid breath drive Pawns mad and reduce Arisen to foul puddles, armor and all...never thought I'd miss the flame." -Barroch's Notes'' Description Cursed Dragons come from origins unknown and bear a striking visual similarity to the Ur-Dragon, however there are a few notable differences. Cursed Dragons are smaller and less brutal than the Ur-Dragon. Cursed Dragons do not have multiple hearts; instead, they have a single purple crystal in their chest. Cursed Dragons are undead dragonkin, brought back to life by foul magick. Instead of breathing fire, they breath a vile and foul gas, which rots any time-sensitive items in the Arisen's inventory. The Cursed Dragon uses a combination of Ur-Dragon-like abilities and like the Ur-Dragon has eleven bars of health. Also, like the Ur-Dragon, the Cursed Dragon can indeed be slain by a Pawn if one strikes the final blow to its heart. Information and Stats Attacks Dragonforging Slaying Cursed Dragons offers the amongst highest odds to Dragonforge equipment, and greater than any other of the minor dragonkin. Tactics Offensive *The heart crystal on the chest is its weak spot, though blows and arrows to the head can stagger it. ** All melee vocations: Simply climb it and attack - for climbing tips see Climbing. * Weak to Fire, and highly susceptible to Burning. * Weak to Holy. * Vulnerable to Torpor. Use an upgraded Rusted weapon if possible. -the higher the enhancement of the Rusted weapon, the greater chance it will inflict Torpor with each strike. A Torpor-inflicted Dragon is much easier to climb, attack and shoot at when it is moving in slow motion. *Cursed Dragons are resilient to, but may be inflicted with Lowered Defense, Lowered Magick, Lowered Magick Defense, and Lowered Strength. *Ice based attacks may partially inflict Frozen but the dragon cannot be shattered. *Poison may be readily inflicted. * Attacking the heart at close quarters makes it difficult for the Dragon to retaliate. The Cursed Dragon's only effective attack at this point is trying to grab its attacker or performing a spin attack or biting which can be blocked or dodged. *Immune to Drenched, Tarring, Blindness, Curse, Petrification and Sleep File:2 Cursed Dragons slain with only Rusted Daggers B, Arisen undamaged|A Strider demonstration. (Hard mode) File:Cursed Dragon slain with only Rusted daggers I, Arisen undamaged|An Assassin demonstrating Masterful Kill effectiveness. (Hard mode, 16 counters) Defensive * The Cursed Dragon's breath can inflict multiple debilitations simultaneously, including Cursed, Poison, and Torpor. Arisen and Pawns may become debilitated even while climbing onto the Dragon's chest during its breath attack. * The safest place for a melee vocation to be when faced with a Cursed Dragon is either grabbing onto its chest or standing directly underneath its heart. **Even ranged vocations may find it easier to simply climb the Cursed Dragon and slash at the heart from close range rather than shooting it from a distance. *Spellcasting from a distance is best accomplished from the Dragon's flanks, out of reach of its sweeping backhands. *A Cursed Dragon's attack patterns can be more easily learnt in "slow motion" by observing a torpored dragon. Torpor will last approximately 25 seconds before it must be re-inflicted. * Determine "safe" areas of the battlefield to escape from the breath attack. For example, in the Duskmoon Tower the Arisen can run behind the large tree, behind rock formations, around corners, or into any opened treasure chest chambers. **Alternately, grabbing onto the Cursed Dragon's chest is a generally safe position from the breath attack. Take the opportunity to reposition while the dragon is rearing up. * The most dangerous place to stand is directly in front of the Dragon, as its Bite is its single most powerful attack. The Cursed Dragon has a long, craning neck and a far reaching forward lunge, so avoid frontal assaults. **Running towards, and not away from the Dragon's underbelly when it begins its biting lunges may be a more effective way to avoid being chomped. * After being knocked down and reeling, with its health is past the halfway point, the dragon will initiate its massive breath attack. Once the Dragon has fully reared up onto its hind legs, there appears to be no technique capable of interrupting the breath attack. The breath attack will predictably be followed by its Possession roar. This attack has significant stagger. * The Cursed Dragon in The Fallen City can cast High Lassitude to slow the party down, either prepare in advance with resistant outfits, or suitable potions, or inflict Silence to prevent the spell being cast. * Mage pawns can hold the Cursed Dragon in place with High Grapnel, temporarily nullifying the physical attacks upon which it relies. File:Fighter vs Cursed Dragon. One on one duel. Arisen is undamaged.|Demonstration of a shieldless Arisen utlising Hindsight Strike to evade and counter, and Heavenward Lash to strike the tail when it hovers overhead to bring it down. The poison breath can be avoided by hiding behind obstacles or grabbing onto its back. (Hard mode, with the Stability augment) File:Farming Cursed Dragons with Comestion, Hard mode, party undamaged|This "blind spot" is safe from virtually all Cursed Dragon attacks. A perfect perch to spam spells like Comestion and Miasma. Pawn specific * Unlike other Dragonkin, excluding the Ur-Dragon, pawns can land the final killing blow on a Cursed Dragon. * Unlike other Dragonkin, the Dragon Roar can inflict Possession, forcing pawns to attack the Arisen. Prepare suitably. **Pawns with low Possession resistance who climb the Cursed Dragon's back can also become Possessed but they typically remain helpless on the Cursed Dragon's back until either restored to sanity, forfeited, or the fight ends. ** Take care with high level pawns who could can potentially annihilate the entire party if they become possessed. Pawn Bestiary Knowledge For full information, refer to the Pawn Bestiary Knowledge page or the according section on the Drake page. Enemy Specific : * Weak to Holy * Weak to Fire * Let the poison breath attack hit you making time-sensitive items rot instantly. (This may have to happen several times). Pawn's comment, "Augh...our meat and vegetables rot" or "His putrid breath spoils our belongings" is not an indication that they learned this already. * Let the Dark Bishop in the Forsaken Cathedral revive his pet Cursed Dragon after it dies. (May need to be witnessed a few times) * Let the Dark Bishop possess its pet Cursed Dragon. (May also need to be witnessed a few times) *Avoid head-on rushes *Perfect Block a lunge/bite attack * Witness the Cursed Dragon in The Fallen City cast spells like Lassitude (Torpor). In addition to witnessing these techniques, it is necessary for Pawns to participate in killing over 15 Cursed Dragons with their own Arisen or while travelling with others. It is though that Cursed Dragon accompanying the Dark Bishop and the Cursed Dragon appearing in the Fallen City each generate unique knowledge flags that the standard Cursed Dragon spawning as a necrophagous beast does not. Notes *The Cursed Dragon does not use wing flap attacks like other Dragons. As a consequence Stability is has no use against the Cursed Dragon. * The Cursed Dragon's breath may rot meat and vegetables, but its breath can be oddly beneficial as well. An Egg or Ambrosial Meat can be turned immediately into a Golden Egg or Sour Ambrosial Meat when exposed to Cursed Dragon's breath. Store such items in an Airtight Flask to preserve, as further breath attacks will rot the egg or meat. * A weaker, summoned Cursed Dragon appears with the Dark Bishop - the Bishop's Dragon has less health, and no glowing heart crystal. This Cursed Dragon gives 66,000 Exp. *Memorize the spot where a Cursed Dragon appears at each location. When the screen goes black, he can spawn in mid-air and fall, which may be sufficient to kill a low level or badly equipped Arisen by crushing him/her. * If the Cursed Dragon is encountered together with another boss enemy, such as the Frostwyrm or Condemned Gorecyclops in Midnight Helix or the boss enemies in the Tower of Treasons Repaid, it is possible to reap the XP from both enemies even if they kill each other. Simply land a single blow or bow shot on each enemy while they are fighting, making sure they do not break off to engage the party. The Cursed Dragon will even engage Death. (wrong info about xp, arisen/pawn must land finishing blow for xp) *If the Cursed Dragon is engaged in the Duskmoon Tower prior to Barroch being removed from the area (possible by using a Rancid Bait Meat), Barroch might caught the aggro of the Cursed Dragon randomly. It's recommended to bring a Fighter with Shield Drum or a Warrior with War Cry, or equip any weapon or skill that can be used to knock it down the sky. **Barroch is invulnerable and even if he is constantly hit or poisoned by the Cursed Dragon attacks, he cannot die. *The Cursed Dragon is more supple than might be supposed. It is able to enter areas that appear impossibly small. For example, it can climb all the way to the top of the stairs in the Midnight Helix leading to the Ward of Regret. It will immediately slide down unless it is staggered by a critical blow that causes it to writhe. In that case, it will remain at the top of the stairs. 'Farming' Cursed Dragons The best places to farm the Cursed Dragon are at The Pilgrim's Gauntlet (Pre-Daimon only) , at the Duskmoon Tower, or in Midnight Helix by using Rancid Bait Meat. Lay it down, leave the area, and re-enter if the Cursed Dragon does not spawn immediately. Cursed Dragons spawn in the area as long as the Rancid Bait Meat persists. This means that killing the Cursed Dragon and re-entering the area will immediately spawn another Cursed Dragon. This can be done multiple times as long as the Rancid Bait Meat persists. * In the Midnight Helix, a Cursed Dragon can spawn in mid-battle while the Arisen is engaging other enemies whether or not a Rancid Meat Bait is used. In other words, a Cursed Dragon can spawn alongside the chained up Gorecyclops (Condemned) (Pre-Daimon) and alongside the Frostwyrm (Post-Daimon). However, if the already freed Gorecyclops (Condemned) appears in Post-Daimon then Death will spawn instead of the Cursed Dragon. *In the Duskmoon Tower (Pre-Daimon), a Cursed Dragon will spawn immediately when using Rancid Bait Meat. *In the Duskmoon Tower (Post-Daimon), killing the Dire Dragon is required when not using Rancid Bait Meat. If one does not place a Bait Meat, the Cursed Dragon will spawn only after the corpse of the Dire Dragon has decomposed. **If one places the Meat with the Dire Dragon still alive, a Cursed Dragon will spawn alongside the other Dragon. *In the Tower of Treasons Repaid (Post-Daimon), a Cursed Dragon is likely to appear when Banshees are present and can be farmed using the method described above. Gallery 10056620130313_164011_9_big.jpg 181404_385096508269858_952774540_n.jpg Video Category:Dark Arisen: Necrophages Category:Dark Arisen: Dragons